Adm. Tim J. Keating, commander of US Northern Command, gathered his disaster response senior “crew” at Peterson to “roll up [their] sleeves and ask questions” to prepare for the 2006 storm season. The group included nine adjutants general, who head their individual state National Guard forces, as well as NORTHCOM senior staff. Based on TAG comments, they liked the collaborative effort. “Cooperation and coordination is key to any response effort,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Doug Burnett, Florida’s adjutant general. “We should not be exchanging business cards in the foxhole.”
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.